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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23332096">heartbreak weather</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceansideeyes/pseuds/oceansideeyes'>oceansideeyes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(not mentioned but implied), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Billy is Alive, F/F, Gay Bar, Heavy Angst, I'm proud of this one, Major Character Injury, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, but this is enough for now, idk there's probably more tags, max also owns a gym, max is a special agent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:20:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23332096</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceansideeyes/pseuds/oceansideeyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"We can't explain this alone, so I called in the B-team." The entire Hawkins Police Department entered the precinct, Chief of Police Jim Hopper leading the pack. His eyes landed on Max, shocked to see her working in the federal agent spy game.</p><p>"Max? I thought you worked at the gym down the street."</p><p>
  <i>or</i>
</p><p>a 90s elmax au where max is a secret agent and el doesn't know, but then something <i>really</i> bad happens</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>heartbreak weather</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title comes from <a>heartbreak weather</a> by niall horan</p><p>so this fic has been in the works for months now, and I just managed to finish it, so y'all better like it! i'm kidding! sort of. this fic has been my baby, and i'm in love with it! i hope y'all enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it! if you want to scream about it with me, you can dm me on twitter (@merfumas). that's all!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Max stood in the center of the dance floor, eyes scanning the room every few seconds for a man wearing non-typical clubbing clothing. She danced to the music, having a blast until she saw him. A tall man in a dark suit entered the front door, staring around at the bar with criticism painted across his face. Max waved at him, calling him over to a booth in the back. He slowly maneuvered his way through the crowd to sit across from Max. "Hey," Max said, crossing her arms on the table. "What do you have for me?" The man didn't move, his briefcase still sitting on the seat next to him. "Hey?" She asked, noticing his attention was on the dancers out in the room instead of the conversation. She reached into his briefcase, discovering that he had a pistol and bullets in the case. Max quietly slipped the ammunition out of the bag and hid it on the seat next to her. When the man's attention turned back to Max, she decided to press him again. "Hey, what intel do you have for me?" She demanded, glaring at the man. He gave her a snarky sneer as he whipped out the gun from his briefcase. "Whoa there, what are you doing?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time, he actually responded. "Completing the task I was sent to accomplish." Max grinned, laughing at the statement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Who's paying you? The Taliban? Al-Qaeda? The Russians?" She queried, searching his face for any reaction at all. He shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It doesn't matter now. You won't need to know hired me once you're dead." He pulled the trigger, but he hadn't loaded it, and as he went to search the bag, there were no bullets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Looking for these?" She taunted, holding up the magazine. "You really shouldn't get distracted on the job." The man dropped the gun and ran towards the door. Max chased after him, tackling him while the back-up monitoring her exited their cars and arrested him. She casually walked back inside to grab the briefcase, picking it up and throwing it into one of the squad cars. She slipped into the passenger's seat of the other, sighing as she buckled her seatbelt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Max's coworker drove them back to the precinct, neither of them saying a word as they got back. Max headed towards her office to recoup when the director, Steve Harrington, called to her across the room. She walked towards his office, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. She took a seat in the office, crossing her arms angrily. "Mayfield, you're always getting into trouble, aren't you?" Steve sighed. "I'm about to pull you from this assignment. You're continually running into danger, and you're getting little to no information from it. You're unprofessional, and you're scaring off all our informants."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's not my fault they don't enjoy meeting in bars, sir," Max defended.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They're not just any bars, Mayfield," he warned, glaring at her. "Most people don't want to get caught leaving gay bars."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's so wrong with it?" She asked huffily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If you're asking the majority of people, they'll tell you that it's wrong and immoral to be gay. That's really not something I'm going to comment on at this point in time; however, I am going to tell you that you need to pull it together. I know that the informant today was a fake, which means you're onto something. Keep digging into whatever you've been doing. The rest of the team will be searching for the group behind this hit on you." He paused, lighting a cigarette. "We've got some info from an anonymous source while you were out. The information for them is on your desk. Set up a meeting with them and find out what they know."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Will do, sir." Max stood up to leave, heading towards the door before Director Harrington stopped her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And Max? Be careful, I know Jane would want you to come home safely." Max shot Steve a soft smile before leaving the room and heading to her desk for a brief check-in before she'd head to her gym down the street.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stopped at her desk, sifting through the piles of paperwork she'd need to look through the following day. Max spread the papers, scanning for any significant headings. She didn't find anything that stood out to her. She reorganized her desk and left the building for the day, walking to the gym down the street.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Max breathed in the warm summer-transitioning-into-autumn air. The brief walk was nothing for her, but it did bring to her attention a little breathlessness she was experiencing. She shrugged it off and picked up the pace, pushing open the door to the gym with a beaming smile. "Hey, Lucas!" Max called as she set her stuff down in her room in the back. "How's business been today?" She changed into her favorite black workout leggings, a teal sports bra, and her white Adidas sneakers. Her hair was already up in a ponytail, but she slipped it into a messy bun. When she left the locker room, Lucas was waiting for her to give her an update.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Business today has actually been higher than usual! I'm guessing that since school is coming up soon, many students want to get back in shape." Lucas shrugged, walking beside Max as she scanned the exercise room. "Either way, we're getting even more people to come in, which is ideal. Your next class is waiting for you in room 1A. I'll be out here helping the other customers." Max nodded, rushing into the room where her class was waiting. She pushed open the door and flashed the full room a sweet smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hi, all! I'm Max, and I'll be your fitness instructor for the class." She introduced herself and the workout they'd be completing that day, showing them how to do it. She found herself remarkable out of breath afterward, shocked by the revelation. Max shook it off and started watching the class perform the exercise, correcting people if they needed it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After the class was dismissed, Max slumped into a chair by the reception desk, her lungs burning slightly. She centered her breathing and managed to make the pain dissipate almost entirely. Lucas saw the pained expression on her face and hurried over to her. "Max, are you alright?" She nodded painfully. He sighed. "I'm calling Jane, okay? You need to head home, and I know you won't listen to me." Max tried to tell him not to, but it was too late. He had already dialed the number, and Jane was all but sprinting down to the gym.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When she arrived, she threw open the door, searching the room for Max. Her eyes landed on the woman, and she hurried towards the back. "Maxine Mayfield!" She shouted, glaring at Max. "What were you thinking?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Jane, really, I'm fine--" Max tried to plead, but Jane took Max to the locker room anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You and I are headed straight home after you change back." Jane huffed, throwing Max's clothes at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't you have more work to do tonight, though?" Max questioned, changing out of her workout clothes quickly. She motioned to Lucas, asking him if he'd close up. He nodded, chuckling to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, I actually was just getting out of work when Lucas called me." She grabbed Max by the wrist and dragged her towards the car, which would lead them to their small house just outside of Hawkins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once they arrived, Max was forced onto the couch, Jane hovering over her. "Max, what did you do?" Jane asked, pulling up Max's shirt while she laid on the couch. There was a massive bruise on Max's abdomen from the takedown of the son-of-a-bitch who tried to kill her. Max cursed under her breath, closing her eyes for a second.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"One of the little kids..." She began before Jane's hand brushed against the bruise, making Max wince. "...kicked me really hard during his session today. I didn't think it was that hard, but I was wrong, I guess." Jane snorted, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You really need to be more careful. One of these days you might actually break some bones." Max laughed, wrapping her arms around her abdomen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'll be alright, don't worry about me." Jane slapped Max's arm. "Hey!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can't tell me to not worry about you! We're literally dating." The two of them shared a quick laugh before Jane lifted Max's upper body, setting Max back down on her lap. "You're not doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> work tonight, got it?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah," Max rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't give me that look!" Before Jane got the chance to say anything else, there was a knock at the door. "I'll be right back." She went and answered the door, her father, Jim Hopper, standing outside it. "Dad!" Jane exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him happily. "I didn't realize you were coming over today!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I decided I'd come and surprise you guys!" He exclaimed with a beaming smile. "Is that okay?" Jane nodded happily, and Max shrugged. Jim sat down beside Max on the couch stiffly, not wanting to get in her way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Loosen up, Hops," Max joked, sitting up next to him. Jane was in the kitchen, finishing up dinner while the other two stayed in the living room. An hour later, the three of them sat at the small dining table by the large window in the kitchen. Dinner passed by breezily, laughs shared throughout it. Hopper helped clean up before he headed towards the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I should head home," he said, putting his hat and jacket on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can stay," Jane offered, dropping some dishes in the sink. Hopper shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, no. I won't stay. You know where to find me, though." He pressed a forehead kiss to Jane before turning and heading out the door. Jane and Max both headed to the kitchen, cleaning and drying the dishes together. Jane whipped Max a few times with a towel after Max had splashed water on her. They laughed it off, leaning on each other. Once Max finished, she rested her arms on the edge of the sink, staring blankly at the backsplash. Jane dried all the dishes thoroughly, setting her towel back on the counter. She wrapped her right arm around Max's neck, kissing her cheek happily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, how do you feel?" Jane asked, holding her left hand on Max's ribs. Max shrugged as she began to tune back in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm alright, I guess." Max turned to Jane, reaching behind her to grab the towel. "It's not great, but I'll survive." Jane's hand ghosted Max's bruise. She winced, closing her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let's go to bed, okay?" Jane suggested in a forceful voice. "You need to get to bed. The only way you'll heal is if you sleep." Max rolled her eyes, smiling stupidly. "Don't give me that look, you know I'm right."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah," Max mumbled, smirking. Jane eased Max into their bed, throwing comfortable clothes at her. Max slipped into them, instantly relaxing as Jane crawled across the bed to cuddle up to her. Jane wrapped her arms around Max's shoulders, leaning the redhead against her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Goodnight, Max," she whispered, kissing Max's forehead as the other was already out cold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the next morning arrived, Jane woke up before Max, fully expecting that outcome. She tried to shift, but Max didn't allow her to move. Jane rubbed her thumb against Max's forehead, beaming ear to ear. Max stirred, rubbing her eyes as she rose. "Hey, babe," Max whispered, stretching her arms. "How are you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I should be asking you that," Jane joked, grinning happily. "I'm great, knowing that you're next to me." Max adjusted so that she was sitting up. "Are you sure you want to go to work today? You can take a day off if you need it."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Jane, I'm fine. I just need to get up and moving." Max slid off the bed, swinging the wardrobe doors open. "You better get up too, don't want to be late for work, right?" Jane glanced at the bedroom clock and leaped out of bed, throwing on her uniform before dashing into the kitchen. Max followed her out, watching her frantically scramble to get ready. She rested her hand on Jane's shoulder. "Have a good day," she said with a cheeky kiss. "I'll see you later." Jane smiled, hurrying out the door. Max returned to the wardrobe to pick out her outfit. She pulled out Jane's old 80s romper that they bought on their first date. "Hmm, this is a solid club outfit." She got dressed and then found a pair of shoes before heading out the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Max arrived at the office, checking in with her team before she headed off to the club she meets informants at. The anonymous note had mentioned that place specifically, so she waited for half an hour, but no one approached her who wasn't trying to hit on her. "They didn't show," Max said over the earpiece, exiting the facility. She waved at the bouncer and opened the passenger side door to the car that was casing the place. "Let's go, Ashley." The agent driving the car sped off towards the precinct.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Back with the rest of the team, Max stood over her desk, rereading the note left by the anonymous informant. "It doesn't make sense," Steve muttered, scratching his head. The whole team was trying to figure out what happened. "We can't explain this alone, so I called in the B-team." The entire Hawkins Police Department entered the precinct, Chief of Police Jim Hopper leading the pack. His eyes landed on Max, shocked to see her working in the federal agent spy game.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Max? I thought you worked at the gym down the street," Hopper stated, confused. Max sighed, falling into her chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I do work there, just... not all the time." She leaned back, closing her eyes. "I'm a special agent/undercover spy centering on intelligence recovery." Steve paused, stepping between Max and Hopper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wait, you two know each other?" He asked, shifting between the two of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, she's dating my daughter," Hopper said, still surprised by the lie. "Max, does Jane know about this?" Max shook her head. "You think it's fine to keep this from her?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hops, I don't have time to talk to you about this," Max deliberately stated. She clenched the note in her hand. "We need to figure out who sent this note, and we need to find out as soon as we can."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And we need to figure out who's trying to kill you," Steve added. Hopper glared daggers at Max, who had her head in her hands. Steve excused himself back to his office, leaving </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> conversation to be had without him there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Someone is out to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and you still thought it wasn't important that Jane and I know!?" Hopper growled, standing over Max with clenched fists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You think I didn't want to tell you!?" Max shouted back, making eye contact with Hopper. "I don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to put your daughter in danger! I don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to lose her! I don't </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything severe to happen to either of us! Damnit, Hopper, I would lose everything if something happened to her!" Max's breathing was heavy like she was out of breath. She stared at her desk, tears spilling out of her eyes. "If we figure out who's behind this, we can spare any pain to either of us, physically and emotionally. Please, just work with me on this." Hopper opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it, sitting down next to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alright, let's get looking." He rubbed Max's shoulder while some of the other agents pulled out a giant corkboard to connect the pieces. "Who could want you dead?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Billy," Max suggested, "or Neil or literally anyone who I've arrested ever." She shrugged, wishing her seat would consume her. "This is hopeless."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hopper rubbed his temples frustratedly. "It can't be those you've arrested unless any of them have been released. I guess they could have connections, but they're all doing life sentences, right?" Max nodded before letting her head fall onto her desk. "We should start by looking into Billy and Neil. Do they still live in Hawkins?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They might, I don't know for sure. After my mom and Neil divorced, I'm not sure what happened. My mom moved back to California and is staying with my father, but I would assume Billy stayed because Neil is in prison, or well </span>
  <em>
    <span>was."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Max dug through some old files, finding Neil's arrest. "Arrested for multiple counts of child abuse, I knew that already." She skimmed it until she found what she was looking for. "Ha! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sentenced to 7 years in prison with a possibility for an extension</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He didn't receive an extension, from what I've read here, but he doesn't have an address anywhere that's recorded." She closed the file and pushed it to the side. "He might still be living in the old house they bought when we moved here. My mom sold it to a real estate company, but it's virtually unsellable. He might be squatting there." Hopper stood up, signaling to his team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let's head out, we need to check the old Hargrove place." The police officers exited the premise, and Max stood up to follow them, but Hopper stopped her. "Max, you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going with us. Go home, Jane is probably waiting for you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hopper, it's my old house, and it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> life on the line. Let me come with you." He shook his head, forcing her to stay behind. She sat back down, sighing heavily. Just as she thought she could get a break, Director Harrington called her into his office.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I really don't like having to see you all the time, Mayfield," he began, pinching the bridge of his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I didn't do anything wrong this time," Max said, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I know, that's why I'm upset." He paused, lacing his fingers together. "I don't want to force you to retire, but I know that Jane doesn't deserve this pain you could bring upon her."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Director, all due respect, but I need to see this through. It's my life on the line. Please, just let me do this." Max scooted to the edge of her chair. "We have a lead."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I know, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>the police department</span>
  </em>
  <span> will follow it, not you. Got it?" Max hesitantly nodded, and he excused her. She pulled out the pad of sticky notes in her desk drawer and left everyone a note.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I went to follow the lead, sorry Director. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, she took one of the government issue undercover cars and sped off towards the former residence of her family. The police were nowhere to be found, so she slowly pushed her way into the house. The entire inside was messy, proving that at least one person had been staying there. Max adventured towards the back where a figure stood, but she couldn't tell who. Out the window stood her stepbrother with a devilish glint in his eye. She jiggled the door handle, but it was stuck. "Billy, what the hell are you doing!?" She shouted, only looking up to see him press a button. Immediately, the entire house caught fire, and an explosive was set off, launching Max into the wall behind her. A piece of the wall she had been standing by was flung backward, hitting her right in the ribcage. Max started coughing, the smoke inhalation starting to knock her out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just then, the entire Hawkins police force pulled up to the scene. Hopper stepped out of his car and directed the others to block off the area and call the fire department. His phone rang, and he picked it up, reading the caller ID. "Director? What's going on?" The line was crackling, but the message was received loud and clear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mayfield disobeyed orders and went to the old Hargrove house. I was just calling to warn you." Hopper held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, the house is on fire, so she's probably inside. I'm going to go get her." He hung up before Steve could say anything else to him. The ceiling was caving in, and the firefighters arrived promptly after that. As they sprayed water to douse the fire, Hopper managed to find Max quickly, pulling the plaster off of her. He hoisted her up and ran out of the house as the rest of the roof came crashing down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once out, he called for an ambulance and laid Max down on the grass, a safe distance away from the fire. "Max!" He squeezed her hand, holding his breath for a response. "C'mon, come back to me. If not for me, for Jane..." Max couldn't respond, having passed out from smoke inhalation and damage done by the wall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the paramedics arrived, Max was lifted onto the stretcher, Hopper walking beside her. When they loaded her onto the ambulance, the lead paramedic gave Hopper the once-over before asking, "Are you joining us, sir?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. "No," he said. "I have to start the investigation here, but call me whenever she wakes up." The paramedic nodded and allowed the driver to speed off towards the hospital.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the on-scene investigation was a blur. Hopper received information, but none of it stuck. One of the officers approached the chief and brought him back to reality. "One of the neighbors said they saw Billy Hargrove here around the time of the explosion," they said. Hopper's heart sunk, but he straightened his posture.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alright, thank you." The officer left while Hopper plopped into his car, rubbing his eyes. "I have to call her." He slowly dialed Jane's number, inhaling deeply before beginning the call. It rang a few times before she picked up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Hop, what's up?" Jane asked, blissfully unaware of what happened. It took all of his willpower to not break down sobbing. "Hop?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, I'm here," he whispered, wiping tears from his face. "I'm going to drop by your house and pick you up, okay?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a long pause over the line. "Why?" Jane voiced confusion and concern, and Hopper was hesitant to answer, but she deserved to know.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Because something happened to Max, and I'm going to take you to the hospital with me." Jane sniffled over the phone, and Hopper's heart was ripped out of his chest. "I'll explain when you get into the car."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay." The line went dead, and both Hopper and Jane started bawling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the hospital, Max was still out cold, hooked up to a ventilator to keep her breathing. Hopper had called Steve, director of Max's agency, on the way to let him know what happened. Jane and Hopper burst into the hospital, Jane frantically asking the receptionist for Max's room number. Hopper showed his badge, and they were quickly escorted to the room. Outside stood a man that neither Hopper nor Jane knew, but he was staring at the door to Max's room. "Uh, hello?" Hopper spoke, offering his hand out to the man. "I'm Chief of Police Jim Hopper, may I ask, who are you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ginger/light brown-haired man shook Hopper's hand, smiling sadly. "I'm Sam Mayfield, Max's father." He paused, acknowledging Hopper's title. Jane's eyes widened. She hadn't heard much about Max's father, but she could see the resemblance between them. "Chief of Police? What are you doing here?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm the one who found her and called the ambulance." Sam bowed his head, telling the chief </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span> without actually saying anything at all. "Have any of the nurses been out yet?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"A few. I haven't been given the green light on going in, so I'm just waiting out here." Hopper waved him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do you want to see your daughter?" Sam nodded. "Alright, let's go in then." Hopper twisted the doorknob and breathed new life into the empty room. The steady beep of Max's heart rate filled the room. Jane's eyes welled up with tears as she took the seat beside Max's bed, holding her hand. Sam and Hopper stayed farther back in the room, allowing Jane a moment to cry alone. "What happened?" Sam whispered softly to not interrupt the moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"She got caught in an explosion," Hopper responded with crossed arms. "The whole house was engulfed in flames."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How did she get caught in the explosion?" Sam had never expected this to happen to his daughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"She was trying to find Billy and Neil Hargrove." Sam's face contorted into pure anger and rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did they do this to my daughter?" He grumbled, his hands balled into fists.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We don't know, so lay off the John Wayne act." Hopper sighed heavily, a small headache forming in the center of his forehead. "When we know for sure, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>trained professionals</span>
  </em>
  <span> will handle it. You just stay with her."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is there nothing I can do?" Hopper shook his head, and Sam sighed. "Well, alright. Thank you." Jane stood up, tears still streaming down her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hopper held out his arms to pull Jane in for a hug. "I can't do this," she mumbled, sobs wracking her body. "Dad, I can't do this." He just squeezed her close, attempting to withhold his tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We can do it together, Jane," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "We have to, for Max." Jane nodded, taking a few deep breaths. It didn't help, but she had a weight lifted off her chest as more tears rolled down her cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door to the room opened, and a gaggle of nurses entered through it. "What are you doing here?" One of the nurses asked the three of them just before they showed themselves out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We were coming to visit the patient," Hopper said, flashing the badge. "We weren't sure if she'd be awake."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"She should be soon," the nurse replied. "We're taking her off the ventilators now because she's doing better with breathing on her own." Jane and Sam sat in the chairs outside the door, leaving the nurse and Hopper just inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is that all that she's recovering from?" The nurse's gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding Hopper's eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, there were - are - massive burns on her back from where she was pinned against the wall. She also cracked a rib, but thankfully that's going to heal and not puncture any vital organs." The nurse patted Hopper on the shoulder. "She will be fine. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Hopper shook his head and took his leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Out in the hallway, Jane and Sam talked for a bit, not saying much. Hopper sat down next to Jane, squeezing her hand gently. He wanted to stay, but he was called out to help with the investigation. He and Jane said their goodbyes, leaving her with Sam. The nurse that Hopper had talked to stepped into the hallway, informing them that they were allowed to go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Jane stepped inside, she saw Max's eyes open and rushed to the edge of the bed to talk to her. "Maxine Mayfield, you gave me a heart attack!" She scolded, relief in her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You didn't think I would go down that easy, did you?" Max joked, her voice hoarse and raspy. "I'm sorry. Did Hopper stop by?" Jane responded with a tilt of her head. "Aw, and I missed him?" There were a few laughs in the room. Max craned her next to see the other person in the room. "Dad...?" She reached out her arm to him. "When did you get in? And where's Mom?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"She's actually the reason why I'm here with you," Sam confessed to the pair, barely suppressing a grin. "She's dead, Max." Max and Jane shared a fearful glance before looking back at Sam.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why are you happy about that?" Max questioned. The voice in the back of her head convinced her that she won't like the answer but motivated her to ask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Because that means what she left as an inheritance for you can become mine," he quipped, staring steadily at the redhead. Max understood what that meant a little too late, but Jane had already called the nurses. By the time anyone could arrive at the scene or try to put the hospital on lockdown, Sam had bolted. Jane gripped Max's hand tightly, fearing that if she let go, who knows what would happen?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the agency precinct, Steve received an alert about what had happened, allowing him to rally the agents to investigate the incident. At the same time, Hopper called the man to inform him of the arrest of Neil Hargrove. Steve hurried over to the police station to watch the interrogation of Neil from the observation room. Neil sat in a metal chair, visibly sweating. "Neil Hargrove," Hopper read from the file in front of him. "You've done time in jail, are you willing to go back?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't know what you're talking about," Neil responded anxiously, but not convincing enough for Hopper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure about that?" He pressed, standing up and walking around the table. "You don't sound sure of yourself."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil gulped, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "If I tell you anything, he's going to kill me." Hopper glared at Neil, boring into his soul.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Who's 'he'?" Hopper growled, only barely restraining himself from pulling at Neil's collar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I-I don't know, he's told me to come back to town and stay in my old place." Hopper knew he was lying and grabbed him by the collar. "Okay, okay, I met him once, and I think his name was Saul? No, that's not it. I know it started with S."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sam..." Hopper concluded, the revelation hitting him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes! That was it!" Neil agreed. Hopper stepped out into the corridor, ordering the officers to take Neil to the holding cell. Steve stepped out of the observation room in front of Hopper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Who's Sam?" Steve asked as he fell in step with Hopper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sam is Max's father from California. He just arrived today, or within the last few days." Hopper started sprinting down the corridor and out the front door towards his vehicle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm coming with you," Steve commanded, and Hopper pointed him to the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Then get in." The two men sped off, sirens blaring as they headed towards the hospital. By the time they arrived, the lockdown had been lifted, and everyone was working as usual. Hopper and Steve rushed to Max's room, where she was sitting up and holding on to Jane for dear life. "Max, Jane, what happened? Where did he go?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We don't know," Max answered honestly, shrugging. "He was here, but once Jane called the nurses, he bolted. I saw him run outside from the window, but I don't know where he went. My vision was blocked as the medical personnel surrounded me." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jane squeezed Max's hand supportively before adding on, "I was ushered out of the room as soon as everyone hurried in." She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Max's forehead and lips. "I don't know where he went, but you have to find him. He's already murdered one person, and I would like to see that he doesn't get the chance to do it again." Hopper wrapped them both up in an enormous hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We will find him, don't worry." He turned back to Steve, a stern expression painted on his countenance. "I'm assigning the police force to make rotations guarding this room. Your agents can help me try to find Sam." He paused. "If we find Billy Hargrove, we might be able--" Hopper's phone rang, and he hesitated to answer it. "Yes?" He held his breath, listening to the string of information rattled off to him over the phone. "Shit, you're kidding, right?" He shook his head. "You didn't lose him, did you?" Another pause. "Good. We know he's still in town. Any word on Billy?" This time, the gap was drawn out and exaggerated. "Why didn't you mention that sooner? Tell him we'll make a deal. If he agrees to meet with Sam, we'll put in a kind word with the judge. If he doesn't, well, we can't promise anything for him. I've got to go." Hopper hung up and took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They found Billy?" Steve asked, already knowing the answer. "That's great. We can get him to tell us where Sam Mayfield is."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's not that simple, Director. Murderous psychopaths usually hang around other murderous psychopaths. We know very little about Billy on file, so we have to tread carefully. You probably know more than we do at the station." Hopper crossed his arms. "Let's go."</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sam sat outside the run-down Hawkins arcade, planning to meet Billy there. "Where are you?" He asked himself, still scanning the area. There was virtually no activity around the place, so when a few unrecognizable cars pulled up nearby, Sam was instantly on alert. "Shit, it's a trap." He sprinted off towards the woods, but one agent's car blocked the path. That same agent hopped out of the vehicle and cuffed Sam, pushing him into the backseat after reading him his rights.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hopper leaned over the open window in the door to Sam, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're under arrest for two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit homicide, in case you weren't informed. Good luck in court." He smirked at Sam before the window was rolled up, and he was driven off to the federal prison.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Back at the hospital, the nurses collectively agreed that there wasn't much left they could do for Max, so they decided to discharge her. Jane stood with Max as she signed the papers, ushering her out into the waning daylight. Hopper greeted them on the front steps, engulfing them in a bear hug. "Dad!" Jane giggled. "Can you let us go? Max </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> break a rib already, and we don't want to make it worse." He immediately released his grip, smiling happily. "We're heading home. If you want to come with us, we'll be glad to have a family dinner with you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hmm, I don't know," the chief said, the corners of his mouth raising his cheeks towards his eyes. Max rolled her eyes at him, punching him in the arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We'll see you at dinner, yes?" Max demanded, and Hopper nodded, leaving the two of them to head home alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The apartment was cold and empty when Jane helped Max in, but she cranked up the heat and covered Max in warm blankets. "Lay down," Jane ordered, pointing at the couch. Max threw her hands up in defeat and laid across the couch like she was ordered to. "I'm ordering us strombolis for dinner, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> will answer the door when they arrive."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once she finished the call, she gently lifted Max's upper body, sliding under to comfort her. "What did I do to deserve you?" Max mumbled as Jane ran her fingers through her hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whatever it was, I'm glad you did it," Jane whispered, rubbing her thumbs against Max's temples. "Lucas is going to run the gym while you're laid up."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Laid up, eh?" Max smirked. "Does that mean I'll--"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't even try that with me," Jane interrupted, grinning, "but if you're lucky, you might. It all depends on how I feel."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How you feel? Like if you're not into it or...?" Max winced as she sat up to face Jane. There was a faint knocking at the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jane leaped up to answer it. "All will be answered in due time." She opened the door, and out there stood Hopper with the boxes of strombolis. "Did you pay for those?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Hopper answered. "You've been through a lot recently, so I figured this could be on me." Jane hugged him, closing the door behind him. She took the boxes to the kitchen, plating the strombolis while Hopper and Max talked in the living room. "How do you feel?" Hopper asked, sitting close to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm alright, I guess," Max answered, leaning back on the couch. "Everything hurts, but I'm home now. Jane won't let me out of her sight." As if on cue, the brunette brought out the plates of strombolis and placed them on the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Damn right I won't," she said, motioning to the table. "Time to eat!" The three of them sat at the table, eating quietly over small talk. Jane cleared her throat to announce something. "I've been waiting to mention this because there has never been a good time, but Max, I have a question for you." Max scanned Jane's face for some sort of hint, but she couldn't find one. "If I was pregnant right now, what would your response be?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'd be a little mad because that leads me to assume that you cheated on me," Max bit, "unless you went to the donor bank and..." Jane's lips broke into a widespread simper, and Max's first thought was, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what if I'm not a good mother?</span>
  </em>
  <span> "Jane, I... I don't know if this is a good idea."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Max, relax, it's going to be okay," she rested her hand on Max's, "we can do this." Max shook her head, pulling her hair with her hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What if I'm not good at being a parent? What if I'm not enough for it?" Panic rose in her voice, her breathing heaving. "Jane, I'm scared."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Both Jane and Hopper held Max's hands. "Max, you're going to be an amazing mother," Jane comforted. "I know you, and I know you can do this. You're incomparable. If I'd want to do this with anyone, it's you." Max's body relaxed, her breathing returning to normal. "I love you, okay? If there's anything we've learned from dating, it's that we're stronger together."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're right," Max remarked, breathing deeply. "Let's do this. I know you're really excited about this, and I want to do this with you." Jane wrapped her arms around Max, beaming excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next chapter of their lives was about to begin, and neither of them could be happier.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading this fic! it means a lot to me! if you want to talk about it now that you've read it, you can dm me on twitter at @merfumas! i hope you guys enjoyed it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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